During Earth Week 2024, we were fortunate to speak with Dr. Courtney Howard about the health effects of wildfire smoke. In her presentation, she outlined the risks of smoke inhalation, and talked to us about staying hopeful in the face of eco-anxiety. We are grateful that she shared her insights with us.
As part of Earth Week 2024, we partnered with the GNWT’s Environment and Climate Change department to host a fantastic panel on climate resilience in the North. We heard about a wide range of climate change solutions that are happening all over the NWT. Check it out!
The following panelists shared their stories and projects with us. We are also very grateful to our moderator, Lawrence Nayally, and to the public for their engagement and questions.
Ecology North teamed up with illustrator, Alison McCreesh, to help you and your community mitigate and adapt to climate change. What climate actions can you check off today? Where can you make changes tomorrow? Print a copy and track your progress! Every big climate action starts with a small step.
Thank you to the Government of Canada for supporting this project.
Are you an events coordinator, volunteer, or event sponsor in the NWT?
If so, this Community Sustainable Event Guide is for you! The guide gives practical advice on how to create less waste by making slight recommendations to typical the venues, waste disposal processes, and food and drink options that NWT events planners usually use. You can use this guide to help make all your private and public events, meetings, festivals, parades, races, and public assemblies more sustainable.
Ecology North’s Sustainable Community Events Guide was created with thanks to funding from Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories.
Alternatives North has written a report on how to best evaluate renewable energy technologies proposed in the Northwest Territories. Their document highlights 3 questions we, and the government, should be asking to ensure that we are tackling the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the NWT rather than focusing on the latest trend in renewable energy technologies.
One of their board members, Karen Hamre, gave a presentation on this topic as part of our 2021 Earth Week celebrations at Ecology North.
Click below to view the report and presentation slides:
Feature photo by Northwest Territories Power Corporation.
This paper describes an ambitious but achievable program of accelerated energy efficiency retrofits, switching low-carbon fuels, and developing renewable energy resources. This program would reduce local air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels, and would reduce GHG emissions by 121,000 tonnes of CO2e by 2030, taking the territories further toward its emissions reductions goals. It would save building owners a cumulative total of $120 million in utility bills by 2030 – a 9% return on investment – helping to reduce the cost of living.
Since 2008, Ecology North has established a tradition of organizing a week-long celebration around International Earth Day, which is held yearly on April 22nd. Ecology North hosts a wide variety of Earth-friendly programming, workshops and events each year in Yellowknife, as well as various communities over the years including Inuvik, Enterprise, Hay River, Kakisa, Fort Simpson, and Lutsel K’e in the NWT.
As per tradition, Ecology North also coordinates the Coffee House Live & Silent Auction as our annual fundraising event.
For more details on the next Earth Week event, please check out the calendar of events page on our website.
Climate Action Training is a web-based education opportunity for NWT youth who are looking to gain knowledge, skills, and resources to help face the climate crisis.
Sessions were live-streamed throughout January and February, 2020 and included presentations from some of the North’s best climate leaders. This carbon free format also allows for participants to watch and re-watch the recorded live-streams. Recordings can be found below, or by clicking here.
Following the training, we will be supporting youth to take climate action in their communities.
Session 1 – Climate Change Science
This session provides a good overview of the science of climate change: why is it happening, how do we know, what are the main contributing sources, and how are climate predictions made. Thank you to presenters Jennifer Hickman, Casey Beel, and Neils Weiss for sharing their knowledge with participants.
Watch Climate Action Training Session 1 – Climate Change Science
Session 2 – Northern Impacts
Special thanks to Climate Change Adaptation Expert Brian Sieben, and Permafrost Scientist Ashley Rudy. This session was full of great visuals and lots of information about how climate change is impacting the north. Learn about coastal erosion, forest fires, flooding, emergency planning, with a special focus on permafrost.
Watch Climate Action Training Session 2 – Northern Impacts
Session 3 – Community Action
Aklavik’s Senior Administrative Officer, Fred Berens, gave an excellent presentation about what Aklavik has done to help reduce the community energy use and tackle climate change mitigation. Noeline Villebrun talked about how important it is for northern youth to take climate action. To conclude the session, Craig Scott’s presented on the huge variety of ways northern communities can, and must, adapt to the changing climate.
Watch Climate Action Training Session 3 – Community Action
Session 4 – Climate Activism – February 5th, 2020
We will have three young climate activists sharing their stories on the front-line. Join Ella Kokelj, Daniel T’Seleie and Ellen Gillies as they document their experiences making change and highlight opportunities to get involved in climate action.
Watch Climate Action Training Session 4 – Climate Activism
Session 5 – Effective Communication – February 12th, 2020 at 6pm MST
Join APTN photojournalist, Charlotte Morrit- Jacobs, and Our Time’s Thomas Gagnon Van Leeuwin who will share with you media training and knowledge about how to amplify your message. As well as how to effectively communicate climate messaging.
Watch Climate Action Training Session 5 – Effective Communication
Session 6 – Northern Leadership – Feb 19th, 2020 at 6pm MST
This session brings a hopeful message of how the north can, and must, take an active leadership role in climate action. Dr. Courtney Howard (an internationally renowned climate and health advocate) and Jordan Peterson (the Deputy Grand Chief of the Gwich’in Tribal Council and an outspoken advocate for climate solutions led by youth) lead us on a journey to discover how the NWT can, and should, take a place in the international climate sphere.
Watch Climate Action Training Session 6 – Northern Leadership
Adaptation guides for communities and individuals across the north. Available in English, French, Inuktitut (South Baffin dialect), and Inuinnaqtun.
Support for this work was provided by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, the Standards Council of Canada, the Canadian Standards Association, and the Government of Nunavut.
This summit provided an opportunity for participants to enhance their knowledge of climate change and its impacts through on-the-land learning. Topics discussed in previous summits include: forest fires, permafrost, culture, community, wildlife, politics, water, adapting to climate change, communicating climate change, and food security.
Declaration of the 2017 Young Leaders’ Summit on Northern Climate Change
From August 16th – 22nd, 2017, 11 youth participants from the three northern territories came together in Whitehorse, Yukon, for the 2017 Young Leaders’ Summit on Northern Climate Change. During this week, we learned from each other, community members, and local organizations about the land and the effect that climate change is having on it, as well as ways that the communities are adapting to these changes.
We have learned that the struggles the north is facing with the changing climate are complex and far reaching. In addition to the environmental impacts, these changes affect modern and traditional ways of life, mental and physical health, as well as socioeconomic wellbeing. We have learned that as young leaders we have power to incite change. This declaration has been developed to be accessible to all, to encourage individuals to take up positive lifestyle changes, and to motivate youth to become leaders in their community.
As northern climate leaders, we commit to:
Networking
Actively Making Changes in Our Lifestyles
Fostering Communication and Action
We call on all levels of government, community organizations and self-governing First Nations to:
The unique situation of the north calls for innovation within the areas of:
Industry
Research
We are making this declaration because future generations depend upon our collective action to preserve our way of life and the natural beauty of the North. We urge all individuals to respect the implications of climate change.
We achieve this by recognizing the inherent value of these Indigenous lands and through furthering our education on traditional knowledge and current research.
We commit to make change.
This summit was open to youth ages 18 to 30 from the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.
We looked for youth who show leadership potential, and a strong interest in climate change and the environment.
Applicants applied for the 2017 Summit by:
1) Submitting a one-page essay expressing why you are interested in attending, and;
2) Submitting a reference letter from a respected member of your community.
Essay topics can include, but are not limited to:
Applications were due Thursday, July 20th, 2017.Find out more information about previous summits here: http://www.climateleaders.ca/
Young Leader’s Summit on Northern Climate Change 2015
In the Summer of 2015, we invited 10 youths from across the three northern territories to Yellowknife, where we promptly took them down the highway to Hay River. Along the way they met elders, scientists, government leaders, were tasked with challenges. The youth camped along the way, cooked and cleaned and had a variety of visitors.
It proved an incredible journey, and the youth made great friends, learned a great deal about climate change and how it is impacting people, communities, and the the natural environment.
You can read the CBC story on the Young Leaders’ Summit here.
You can download the Final Report on the summit here.
